The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-09-04
KIDNAPPING IN MEXICO.
Some Blood -Cnrdling Tales of Capture and
Holding for Ransom.

| KIDNAPPING IN MEXICO.
/ Some Blood -Curdling Tales of Capture and
| Holding for Ransom.
| Mexican Correspondence Philadelphia Record.
Concerning the pleasant possibilities of this
| uncertain country many bood-curdling tales
| told of occurrences in the past, which might
| easily be repeated in the present with sufficient
| incentive | am aware that to mention these
things is to bring ones self into deep disfavor,
| not only with the Msxcans, but more particu-
| larly with certain Americans in business here.
who endeavor to make it SO warm" for the too
outspoken Journalist that he or she finds it safer
to journey north ward with expedition; but since
| my informants we're American editor in the
| City of Mexico Whose name l would willingly
disclose1 and several Mexlcans the manner
born. perhaps the recital of one two of these
| historic happenings mayfb excused.
A few years ago good deal of KIDNAPPING
/ carried on in Mexico money having been gen.
orally the object Anybody of wealth and nfu-
| ence was liable to be seized in unguarded
moment and spirited away: and seldom, indeed,
the victims heard of again, unless
their friends 'came down" most handsomely
| The modus operandi, after man had been
cured and hidden. was to post notices here and
there within sight of his family sometimes
they were pinned up ku klux fashion, with a
dagger or decorated with skulls and cross bones
stating what sum of money was required to
be left within given time at a certain spot to
ransom their relative, and plainly intimating
that noncompliance with the demand would
seal his death warrant. When money
promptly paid the kidnapped persons were usual
| ly released, according to promise: but in many
a
another and another, long there the
slightest prospect of further gain
One of the most celebrated cases of this kind
was that of General Cervantes which occurred
/ believe, in 1874 He prominent polit-
cian in the prime o: life, belonging to family of
great wealth and influence, and the mscreants
who captured him we'll knew that his people
would move heaven and earth for his release.
Well days and weeks went by, and though the
country was secured for the missing
trace of him discovered or was likely
to be so long penny could be gained
by his retention. His family spent thousands
of dollars in the vain search and in repeatedly
depositing large sums of money for his ransom,
as indicated by mysterious placards, until they
were completely impoverished; and then. moved
by the tears of his distracted young wife and
the prayers of his aged mother, the govern
ment offered a considerable amount for his
restoration. But still no Cervantes appeared.
At last by the merest accident. he was discov-
eredin the heart of the populous city and
within stones throw of his dwelling-un-
der the floor Of deserted house. lying fiat upon
his back in place barely wide enough to hold
him. gagged. bound hand and foot. with several
well-sharpened dageers thrust within a hairs
breadth of his body SO that if he should have
stirred they would have pierced him. Having
remained long in this terrible condition he
barely alive when found. and it only after
weeks of careful nursing during which time he
lay speechlees and his life hung by a thread
that he was able to tell of his adventures: and
meantime. of course. the miscreants had ample
opportunity to escape
1t seems that late one evening he was stand
ing in his own door. when suddenly a serape
was thrown over his head by some unknown
persons and drawn tightly to prevent any
outcry; then he was placed in a carriage and
driven rapidly a very long distance, he sup
posed. Doubtless the rapid drive, they having
returned TO nearly the same point whence they
started, intended for blind and he
never believed himself home. The
faces of his captors he saw. for they
were closely masked and they visited him only
at night by the dim light of lanterns. Having
gagged and bound him. they first talked of tax
ing down portion of the wall and brickng
a
two could be removed when it would be-
sary to feed him; but. fortunately for him.
they decided upon the floor less troublesome
to themselves. Tearing up plank and placing
him under 1t he WAS found to be too
corpulent. despite all their crowdine,
to allow tho board to fit in place again, little
earth was dug away to accommodate him with
living sepuchre. A few small holes. bored
above his face, admitted sufficient air to keep
him in existence, and there ne remained for
weeks. helpless, vOiceless. entombed alive within
sight and sound of home, while his friends
were ransacking the world for him. Every
night his captors came. removed the plank and
hauled him up, and with the point of dagger
at his throat took out the gag and gave him
food and then walked him up and down the
room awhile for exercise. By and by he grew
weak to be incapable of outcry or resist
ance. and then his keepers forced stimulants
down his throat, and dragged him about for
needed exercise. desiring to keep the breath of
life in him as long money might be forthcom-
ing. Finally believing him about dead, and
that all resources of profit had been exhausted,
they added mental torture to his misery
by assuring him that his friends had refused to
pay nything for his ransom and, crowding him
nnder the plank again. they left him to die
leisure. 1t happened that very night that
heavy storm came up. and a beggar entered the
deserted dwelling for shelter. by chance seating
himself upon the board under which Cervantes
lay Hearing faint moaning, apparently pro-
ceeding from the lower regions the fellow
frightened nearly to death. believing that i t
came from some ghost, and he straiehtway
to the nearest priest. Strangely enough in tn rs
lazy country, where approximations fancies are
Was inst ffad
and what rem aimed of poor Cervantes
cued-not an hour too
few months later a rich old man disap-
peared IN much the same manner. Search was
instituted and diligently kept up for long time,
but not the elightest trace of him found.
The usual placards demanding for his
ransom were posted again and again. sometimes
accompanied by the most plteous appeals pur-
porting to come from the victim himself, but
though the family were anxious to give any
amount for his release they were not permitted
to do SO. the government having determined to
put stop to the kidnapping business. which
could only be done by destroying the incentive.
Long afterward. through the confession of
dying ranchero to his priest the fate of the old
man was disclosed For several months his
abductors had kept him, gagged and bound.
hidden in deep. dry well. Every night
they hauled him up, fed him enough to
sustain life. and tortured him in every
diaboical manner they could CONCEIVE without
making an end of him in order to make him
devise some means by which they could wiring
money from his friends. AS time and
no money came, their fiendish knew
bounds, and they delighted in tormenting him
to the utmost limit of human endurance. They
burned his flesh with heated irons tore the nails
from his fingers and toes, dug his eyes pulled
his tongue with pincers. and finally tortured
him to death.
The dying rancheros story substantate |
by the searching of the spot indicat ed-in a
cant field mar the Viga canal. few miles from
the City of Mexlco-and in the bottom of the
long disusec and forgotten we'll was found the
skeleton.
Wanted Insurance.